Journey To Middle Earth
by Author Unknown1
Summary: Chapter Six: Fellowship Origami
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: This is my first fan fiction so forgive me if it sucks.  
  
Disclaimer (the sequel): I do not own any of the characters or situations of Lord of the Rings though I constantly delude myself of that fact.  
  
The Disclaimer Strikes Back: Any similarity to actual characters or situations that are had by anybody reading should be sought out at the council of a psychologist immediately.  
  
The Disclaimer Returns (last one, promise): It will take a while to get to action...to actually get to Middle Earth itself. Please be patient.  
  
This is not a Marry Sue; if anything it might be a Harry Stu though.   
  
And Now, Your Feature Presentation:  
  
  
Prologue  
  
Emmanuel Parlor sat looking sternly at the map in front of him. His eyes scrutinized the names of places and blobs of color. He traced one slender finger along the letter R. The red ink, sturdy beneath the natural oils of his fingertip, went straight up and curved slowly down back towards itself and marched straightly down again forming the letter gracefully.   
  
He sighed. Though he admired the artwork that had been put into the map he knew it was nothing more than that, a map. It was a mirror, a reflection of a place, and a representation of a journey, but not the real thing. Emmanuel rolled the parchment up momentarily spying the writing on the back, "Representation of Middle Earth; by Jane Suntry; Happy Birthday Emmanuel!"   
  
Emmanuel smiled faintly at the slowly fading script on the back. Jane was the only one who truly knew of his love of Lord of the Rings...and she was the only one who seemed to understand.   
  
Struggling his tired body up he ran a hand through a tussle of red hair and over just as red rimmed eyes.   
  
-A scientist's work is never done. - He thought wearily. Slowly he inserted his arms, one at a time, in an overly used lab coat. He paused to push a bit of loose thread under the cuff of his sleeve, too tired to cut or pull the thread out.   
  
He took a last look at the map, rolled up on his kitchen table, "If only I were there," he whispered to himself. 


	2. Chapter One: The Discovery

Chapter One: The Discovery  
  
Dislaimer (I fear there might be a disclaimer to every chapter): I am not a scientist nor do I claim to know anything of any importance about science, including terminology, experimental process, or even personality. Thus, if a scientist out there is reading this, I apologize beforehand for any "screwing up" of any science related material in this chapter or any chapter after this.   
  
  
"Don't tell me your still working on that bloody time machine, Parlor."   
  
Emmanuel turned a weary eye from his work. He spied the overweight red-faced fellow who the gruff voice belonged to. He smiled despite himself. But quickly turned back to the device that was the subject of the man's inquiry.  
  
"It's not a time machine, Bill," he answered absently.  
  
The pudgy man sighed deeply, "I know that, Emmanuel." he paused, "Manny," Emmanuel flinched at the nick name, "You've got to stop living in these dreams."   
  
When Emmanuel didn't answer Bill continued, "We are scientists Manny, and this bloody infatuation with that insane book will not get you anywhere! You are wasting this laboratory's time and money with your insane desires!"  
  
"Middle Earth exists, William," Emmanuel said silently. His comrade's face looked as if it was about to explode but Emmanuel paid no mind, "I know it does," he said even lower.   
  
"What evidence do you have of this?" Bill practically screamed. He had had this discussion, this argument, many times with Emmanuel Parlor and each time he was bested, or quilted, into resigning his decision to fire the young doctor. But he would not give in this time.  
  
The redheaded scientist whipped around to face his flushed-faced boss. He had a look of determination etched in his eyes that much took Bill by surprise. His pale fingers held up what looked to be an artifact. It was in the shape of a leaf...emerald green bordered by gold.   
  
"It was found near London on an archeological site," Emmanuel's voice was strong, sure of himself, a rarity.   
  
"Where did you..." the elder man started.  
  
"It doesn't matter how I got it or where...do you know what this means?"   
  
The red-faced man shook his head honestly looking at his protégé like one looks at a man who has just committed murder. He always feared that Emmanuel would crack, just not so soon.  
  
"It's a leaf of Lorien!" Emmanuel was practically giddy. He saw that Bill still looked confused, even frightened. He calmed himself before he started again, "It is from Middle Earth." Bill still looked at the young man quizzically, "It means that Middle Earth exists!"  
  
"Bloody hell," Bill said underneath his breath. "You've gone mad."  
  
"No!" Emmanuel said, failing to contain his joy. "If I can find the exact vibrations of this leaf then perhaps I could open a doorway..."  
  
"Emmanuel--" Bill started.  
  
"No, you don't understand. They've done it before. Of course, without opening a door, but there was a pot found in Israel and they took the vibrations off of it and played it like a record..." Bill closed his eyes and placed a pudgy hand upon his forehead, "They could hear voices from people around, some even said that the voice on the bowl could have been Jesus himself...if I could take that technology a step further--"  
  
"Emmanuel--" Bill tried again, but to no avail.  
  
"If I could take it a step further I could build a kind of portal. Not only does the existence of this leaf prove the existence of Middle Earth but it provides a way to get there..."  
  
"Emmanuel!" Bill finally shouted causing the young scientist to falter in his excitement and look up into his boss' eyes.   
  
"Emmanuel, I must tell you something..."  
  
***  
  
Emmanuel felt numb as he walked back to his car. Clutched in one hand was the device he had been working on in the lab, the only equipment that Dr. Bill Sanderson allowed Emmanuel to keep after his firing of Dr. Parlor. In the other hand, clutched tighter than the former, was the leaf, brilliant emerald color momentarily stunted by the fingers of Dr. Parlor wrapped around it.   
  
The leaf had come upon him by accident...by happenstance, or whatever you wished to call it. Jane Suntry, the woman who had made the map for Emmanuel, was not only an artist but an archeologist as well. She knew of the books that enchanted Emmanuel through his entire life and whilst on a dig near London she had found the leaf and commented on its similarities to those described in the trilogy. Immediately she sneaked the artifact away and mailed it to Emmanuel, knowing he would have interest in it.   
  
As soon as the package arrived Emmanuel was engulfed in finding all that all he could about the golden/green leaf. The first test he ran was a chemical test to see what kind of metal the object was made of. He was unable to find out, though, all of the tests came back nonconclusive. Though the metal looked gold it definitely was not.   
  
Next he examined the dirt around the artifact, normal soil, nothing more. But there were traces of minerals he could not identify. He tried to test the age of the leaf but those tests said the artifact was billions and billions of years old, older than the dinosaurs, older than anything ever found in the history of man. This is when excitement really instilled itself.   
  
This is when he started taking the vibrations. This is when he started planning to make a trip to the one world where he knew he would not feel like an outcast. This is when he bought a cloak and found a staff in the woods. This is when he took up archery (ultimately finding out that he was less than good at the sport). This is when all of his free time, time normally used in reading the Lord of the Ring books, was taken by a feverish need to find some way to get to Middle Earth.   
  
But now he was fired. He hung his head as his car waited for the stoplight to turn green. There was no way to find a laboratory so he could complete his project...no way at all...unless-An idea came into his head...  
  
::BEEP!:: A car behind him informed Emmanuel that the light had changed to green. With new determination the scientist sped down the road wishing, for an instance, that he had purchased a cell phone. 


	3. Chapter Two: The Experiment

Chapter Two: The Experiment  
  
Dislcaimer: After this chapter we will be in Middle Earth, I promise. Hold tight, I felt that I needed a good explanation on how it was that Emmanuel got to Middle Earth before he actually arrived. Sure, it's a slightly flawed explanation, but an explanation nonetheless.   
  
  
Emmanuel Parlor rushed into his flat, the leaf clutched tighter than ever in his hand. He picked up the telephone and dialed, skillfully, the number he had called countless time before. The other end rang once, it rang twice and then two other times. Emmanuel prayed for the owner to pick up, prayed the cell phone not be on silent. Finally a groggy voice answered the other end.  
  
"Hello," said the feminine voice.  
  
"Jane!" Emmanuel exclaimed excitedly, voice peaking at the end.  
  
On the other end the voice paused. It started but then stopped and then started again. He smiled as he pictured Jane's mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.   
  
The voice cleared its throat and then spoke, "Emmanuel?" it asked.  
  
"Hello Jane, do you have a spare laboratory?"  
  
Jane paused again. It was a considering pause. It was the pause of a person woken up from a midday nap to be asked for an entire building. It was also a pause of a person who wasn't quite sure she had left the dream world entirely.  
  
"Wha...?" Jane started.  
  
"I need a laboratory...do you have one?" he asked quickly, knowing that if he got her off her guard it would be easier that if she fully understood.   
  
"Well...yes..." another pause, "I suppose...Emmanuel?"  
  
There was quickness in his voice, the kind of quickness that Jane simply didn't hear in her friend, ever. It worried and excited her all at once.  
  
"Good! Give me the address and I'll meet you there in," he looked at his watch, "ten minutes."  
  
She did as she was told and then tried to add, "Emmanuel, I don't think I can make it in te..."  
  
"Great. I'll see you there, Jane." the phone clicked off. Jane sat up, stunned. She rubbed her brown eyes and looked at the phone. She yawned and got up turning to the phone one last time in disbelief before getting dressed.  
  
***  
  
The laboratory was dark as Emmanuel followed Jane past the front doors. He could smell the chemicals even before entering the main lab. While some part of him was comforted by the familiar smell another part was sad, for he knew he would never smell these chemicals again. But both of these emotions were squelched by the desire to examine the artifact even closer. He knew that Jane's laboratory was much more extensive that any that he had been in prior and was made especially for his kind of research.  
  
Jane breathed deeply as she flicked the lights on revealing just how extensive an archeologist's lab was.   
  
"This has got to be illegal," Jane muttered beneath her breath. This wasn't exactly her lab, rather the laboratory of the people that she worked with. Jane, herself, hadn't stepped foot in the lab except for a few times during the month. She wasn't a scientist, she was an archeologist; she dug, they examined.   
  
Emmanuel seemed to completely ignore Jane's uneasiness for he got to work quickly, bringing out the equipment taken from his last job.   
  
"You wanna tell me what this is all about?" He looked around to see Jane, hands on hips, black hair hidden under a toboggan. She had a stern look to her eyes. He looked away from those eyes, knowing how evasive they could be.   
  
"I'mbuildingaportaltoMiddleEarth," he said quickly.  
  
"You're what-ing a what to where?" Her hands on her hips became fists.   
  
"I'm building a portal to Middle Earth using the vibrations found absorbed into the leaf of Lorien that you found for me last year," he turned back to the object in his hands.   
  
The laughter would've been contagious if it wasn't so cruel. It echoed off the walls of the laboratory as well as the walls of Emmanuel's mind. After it had finally died down and Jane saw that Emmanuel hadn't cracked a smile she straightened her mouth.  
  
"You're not serious?" she asked incredulously.  
  
"I am," he said not looking up.   
  
"You really think that the leaf that I sent you is the leaf of Lorien?" she asked, voice rising.  
  
"Yes, the metal in it is unidentified as well as mineral in the soil. When I tested the age of it I found that it was older than the dinosaurs what more do you need?" There was a bit of aggravation in a voice that was usually calm and even a bit monotone at times.   
  
If Jane were a scientist this information would have fascinated her. But Jane wasn't a scientist and to her the things spoken from her friend were simply a bunch of sentences garbled together with a question mark at the end.  
  
"So...what is that?" Jane said, ignoring the question about the validation of Emmanuel's theory as she pointed to the other object under Emmanuel's hands.   
  
"Ah," excitement started creeping into the young scientist's voice again. He thrust an end of the rectangular object into his companion's hands and led her fingers to a knob, "Just hold onto that..." He then took another knob at the other end of the object and started pulling. The rectangular solid slowly started to unfold, sections folded out and created somewhat of an ellipse. With one strong tug from Emmanuel's side the sections locked.   
  
Dr. Parlor took the metal-link ellipse from Jane and leaned it next to a wall about 6 feet tall and 5 feet in width. It stood, the middle of each link shined with a kind of metal Jane hadn't seen before. On the inner edge of the device was a conglomerate of tiny rings...each a different size. On the top of the device was a space the same size and shape of the leaf artifact that Emmanuel held in his hand.  
  
He delicately took the leaf with the tips of his finger and snapped it into the section. The leaf seemed to glow green as if an inner light was working from within. The entire machine lit up and the material that Jane had first thought was metal she discovered now was warped pieces of glass that looked dark in the light, now they, too, had cool green lights emitting from within the device.   
  
Emmanuel smiled from ear to ear at his friend's open mouth, "The smaller rings emit different vibrations. I have yet to find the one that exactly matches the leaf's but once I do I can create a continuum which will, if my predictions are correct, create a portal which will offer a path to Middle Earth."  
  
Jane was still gaping when she breathed, "Middle Earth?"  
  
"Yes." Emmanuel's voice was soft as he scratched the loose string in his lab coat arm absently. "Do you believe me now?"  
  
"I...I don't know," Jane said honestly as she blinked at the glowing ring in front of her. Suddenly she turned to Emmanuel knowing that he was probably going to be here most of the day, "There's a McDonald's at the end of the street..." she said, still in a little bit of shock.  
  
"Bacon, egg, and cheese with a small orange juice," he said as he shoved a wad of bills in her hand.   
  
She nodded as she took one last look at the machine and started to leave.  
  
"Wait!" Emmanuel called after her to ask a question that had been nagging in his mind all day.  
  
Jane turned around expecting a grateful "Thank you" from her slightly geekish friend.  
  
"Why is the lab closed today?"  
  
Jane smiled slightly, a bit disappointed, "It's Valentines Day, Romeo."   
  
"Oh..." he had forgotten all about the holiday. He went back to his work, facing slightly off white lab coat towards Jane.   
  
Jane snickered a bit. -Good old Emmanuel...always observant...and kind hearted too! -She thought sarcastically.  
  
***  
  
Jane came back with bags laden with fast food grease, though not as much as if she had went to a McDonalds in America she imagined. What she saw when she returned caused her fingers to almost slip off of the bags.   
  
The ellipse that before had been nothing but a slightly green glowing lightshow was now a portal. It was like that show, The Twilight Zone; the matter in the portal swirled and in front was a figure hunched over examining the swirl.   
  
The figure was, of course, Emmanuel, but at that point he looked much like a mad scientist. The green light was illuminating his lab coat almost making it look like it was he emitting the glow and not the portal. Jane cleared her throat to let her self be noticed.  
  
Emmanuel turned to face his friend, her dark face etched in surprise that made his manic grin even larger, and more manic. Toboggan had been tossed aside leaving wild black hair haloing her face. In her hand, comically placed, was a bag with a large golden "M" on the front. Her hand gripped tightly, almost as if the bag were her lifeline. Emmanuel unconsciously giggled, making himself seem even more manic than before.   
  
"You did it..." it came lower than a whisper but Emmanuel heard her. She placed the bag down and came over to the young scientist as he giggled with joy.   
  
"Does it work?" Jane asked after a strange silence as they both stared at the machine in awe. She reached out to touch the morphing matter but found a cold, thin hand stopping her.   
  
"Of course it does," Emmanuel said, suddenly brisk. He removed the leaf that had formally resided in the top of the portal. To Jane's surprise the portal did not fail or flicker. "I finally found the right vibration!"   
  
"Are you sure?" Jane was suddenly fearful, stepping back as if the portal would reach out and grab her.   
  
"Yes!" Emmanuel said, frustrated. He stepped forward towards the swirling matter. It was Jane's turn to hold Emmanuel back.  
  
"You're going in!"  
  
"No," Dr. Parlor said sarcastically, "I'm just going to stand here and watch my only chance to visit Middle Earth pass me by!"  
  
"How will you get back?" She asked. She had finally been able to rip her eyes from the portal and stare into the wild eyes of her friend. He looked as if he were a small boy who had just found a puppy and wanted to bring it home.   
  
Suddenly the young man's eyes got very dim. "I'm not coming back."  
  
There was a silence. It was the same silence that must have started the cliché about cutting through it. The silence was thick and both people seemed to be weighed down in it.   
  
"Well, you're not going alone, that's for bloody sure," Jane suddenly exclaimed.   
  
Emmanuel smiled, "You're not coming with me Jane..."  
  
"Oh yes I am!" She pointed a long dark finger at Emmanuel. It was an archeologist's finger, shabby yet strong from digging in dirt all day. Its nail was cut short and the cuticles of the finger were cut in several places. But still it stood, pointing, almost possessively, at the young scientist.  
  
"No argument!" she yelled before Emmanuel had time to protest once more. "With our luck it'll probably lead us in the middle of the Egyptian desert and I'm not about to let you dry up there all alone."  
  
"So you'd dry up with me, then?" he asked, smirking, "You'd rather us both die? Isn't that a little self-sacrificial, Jane?"  
  
"Hey, it's what I do best."   
  
Suddenly they both heard a sound. It was the sickening sound of heavy foot steps on marble floor. In the background of the foot steps was the slight jingle of something metal.   
  
"Who is that?" Emmanuel asked, his eyes turning wide.  
  
"I...I don't know," Jane answered honestly. "Today's Valentine's Day, no one's supposed to be here, unless someone else has a mad scientist as a friend who is bent on traveling to a fictional location to escape his life." She glared at Emmanuel who promptly ignored the glaring.  
  
"This lab..." Emmanuel asked, shifting uncomfortably as the steps came closer to the laboratory door, "There isn't a security guard is there?"  
  
"I...er...I mean, I never cared to ask. I suppose there is since this is the largest archeologist's laboratory in town..." Jane's eyes got wider as she stared at the door on the other side of the lab.  
  
"Jane, first of all, it's the only archeologist's lab in town and, second of all...well, there isn't a 'second of all' there's just a, let's get the hell out of here," Emmanuels breath quickened realizing the journey would be quicker than planned.   
  
"So I can go?" the red headed scientist nodded curtly, "I guess if we do land in the desert it would be better than jail huh?" She laughed nervously and grasped Emmanuel's hand in an unusual show of affection.   
  
The steps now stopped. They heard a key fiddle with the lab door.   
  
"Wait, I have to get something..." Dr. Parlor rushed for a parchment that Jane hadn't noticed before, he rushed back to stare at the swirl of matter.  
  
The keys were now being switched in a search for the correct key for the door. One key would be thrust in, fail, and another key would take its place.   
  
Hands held together as two figures entered a swirling abyss of blue and green matter. They disappeared in a flash of blinding light. The light caused the machine to explode and collapse into itself. With the burst of energy the lights in the lab short-circiuted and the entire room went dark. All that sat as evidence of anyone actually inhabitting the lab at any point was a bag of food, never eaten.   
  
The door of the laboratory flew open with the force of a wrinkled hand of an old man with a large mustache. He wore a security vest and a slightly tired expression from sleeping in the control room. He looked into the dark room and grunted slightly. He took a flashlight from his pocket and scan the room for anyone. He could have sworn that he heard voices.  
  
His flashlight stopped on a bag on a far lab table. Slowly, keys jingling slightly, he made his way to the bag. He took it and sniffed cautiously. Bushy eyebrows arched he took out the sandwich and unwrapped it. Sinking his dentures into the bread he nodded his head, satisfied. He walked towards the door, keys jingling all of the way. 


	4. Chapter Three: Middle Earth

Disclaimer: I am American. Any Europeon sayings or ways of talking I will ultimitely slaughter I take full responsibility of. I apologize. This chapter is also very choppy and I'm not pleased with it at all. I think I tried to hard on it. I'm going to let it fester for a while before deciding whether I should either change it and repost or totally trash it and try it all over again.   
  
Chapter Three: Middle Earth   
  
The mist hung low on the ground. Leaves looked gold, sun shining through them so that their veins could be seen like small golden maps on silver wooden sticks. Even the smell of the wood was enchanting.   
  
The smell of freshness, flowers, and soothing herbs filled the air. The trees seemed to be alive as they rustled with a small breeze. Golden leaves shivered and one fell, drifting back and forth in the air before finally landing on the ground.   
  
Two figures, one male and one female, stood, silhouetted against the scenery.   
  
"Bloody hell." The male voice seemed to be the only sound in the forest.   
  
The other figure was silent for a moment before commenting, "That's so generic," said the higher voice.   
  
"What do you mean?" asked the first, turning his head to look at the scenery that surrounded him.   
  
"Haven't you ever seen any American shows?" There was no response, the feminine voice continued, "They always depict British characters so generic and they always say 'bloody hell' to everything."  
  
There was a pause.  
  
"We aren't British though," the lower voice replied.  
  
There was another pause as the female considered this for a moment.  
  
"Good point," replied the second.  
  
His and Jane's fingers untwined as Emmanuel stepped away from her and moved towards a tree, hesitating for a moment to put his fingers upon the bark.  
  
"Its bark is bigger than its bite," Jane suddenly said.   
  
Emmanuel turned around as if he had forgotten that she was there. He smiled, "Aren't we the witty one?" he said.  
  
"I try," Jane said simply, picking up a leaf that had fallen to the ground. She inspected it. It looked green shaded by her shadow. Then she held it up to the light, looking much like a small child, and watched as it turned gold with the light of the sun.  
  
"Very trying," Emmanuel muttered to himself in a whisper smiling slightly at Jane's inspection of the leaf.  
  
"What was that?" she asked, acting as if she had not heard him.  
  
"Oh, nothing." Emmanuel at last touched the tree, finding it strangely warm to his fingers. It was almost as if the tree had a heartbeat, or it could've been his own heart echoing in the tips of his fingers.   
  
The smell of the woods was, indeed, intoxicating. Emmanuel almost swooned in it as he held the Leaf of Lorien in his palm; it had become warm as well, almost as if it knew where it was. He looked at the emerald-green leaf and wished he had had enough time to get his cloak before they left. Shrugging he tried to pin the leaf on his lab coat. Strange, he had never noticed through all of his experiments that the leaf wasn't a pin at all but a clasp meant to hold two pieces of fabric together. He studied this for a minute before securing it to the top of his coat. Emmanuel looked up to find Jane looking at him bemused.  
  
"What?" he protested.   
  
"Nothing," she said innocently smirking. Jane had never seen Emmanuel this content. Come to think of it, she had never felt this content in a long time either. She breathed in, once again, the sun and the nature, things hard pressed to find in modern-day earth no matter where you went.   
  
***  
  
Another figure was present in the forest. He crept silently on feet that cats would envy. Behind him, though he could barely hear them, were his comrades, his brothers. He paused for a moment, squinting just barely to compensate for the sun.   
  
They were still there, the two intruders. They stood talking about things that even he, even in all of his years of living, knew nothing about. His sleek figure turned towards his comrades. With a silky movement of his hand as a signal the figures behind him flew up various trees.   
  
He did not want to approach them yet. These creatures were strange; he wished to know more about them. So, in a flicker of an eye, he flew, on a silver ladder, up a golden tree and crept through the branches until he was right over them.   
  
The curious eyes stared at the dark skinned one, never seeing such a being in the woods of Lorien before. Never before had he seen skin so rich and dark, like the color of the earth soil beneath the grass. Her hair flew wildly in small black curls. She took a breath and sighed it out contently.   
  
The other one sported hair of stark red. His skin was almost as pale as the one-observing-from-the-tree's skin, though his form was definitely a man. The man took a moment to touch the trees and even the being watching from above had to smile at his appreciation for the bark. He would watch these curious creatures a little more and then make his move.  
  
***  
  
"So, what now?" Jane said becoming uncomfortable with the quiet in the forest.   
  
Emmanuel shrugged, admiring his Leaf of Lorien while fingering the corners. "Try and find some elves?" he suggested lamely. All that the former scientist wanted to do was find a nice tree and sit under it basking in the rays of his dream come true.  
  
"Well that should be really simple..." Jane took a breath and yelled, "Hey elves!" She giggled at her own adolescence until she felt an arm cross her upper chest and looked back to find Emmanuel glaring at her with furious green eyes.   
  
***  
  
There was a shifting beside him and he looked to see one of his men with a smirk on his face, "*They called us to come*," he said in soft elvish, a twinkle in his eyes.   
  
"*That they did*," replied the other, he would have laughed if it would not have given away their position.   
  
***  
  
It was one of those blink of an eye moments. In one moment Jane was yelling at the top of her lungs to see elves and the next they were dropping down from trees, arrows pointed at them. All around them they came, like drops of rain from the sky, and with as much sound as such.   
  
It was the universe's idea of instant gratification, and boy did the universe have a sense of humor. Emmanuel didn't even have time to notice that they weren't human before he noticed that arrows were pointed very close to some very vital regions of his body.   
  
When the former scientist got over the shock of being surrounded he had a bit of time to look closely at his assailants. They were elves! They weren't movie elves but real-live elves. They were so close to Emmanuel that he could see the intricate fibers of their gray tunics and inside their hoods. He could see the minuet splinters in their bows and the pure cut of their arrows. Of course, their arrows where pointed at his face, but better to see the positive right?  
  
But more than their attire Emmanuel explored the faces of the elves. Though shadowed by hoods the light of the sun from the east provided enough illumination to see the contours of the elves' faces. Their cheekbones were very prominent, not that they were high, but they were very strongly defined. He explored the soft contours of their faces until he got to the chin, which was, like the cheekbones, strongly defined. It was an inhuman kind of contrast between soft and strong features that offered a certain androgyny to the beings.  
  
Their hair was pale and long. It wasn't blond but more of a gold, a lighter rendition of the golden leaves which the sun shown through on the trees around them. The hair spilled out of the hoods that the elves wore and their skin seemed to emit a strange glow. Emmanuel wasn't quite sure whether the glow came from the creatures themselves or, rather, reflected off of the sun.   
  
The eyes were, by far, the most magnificent feature. Almost hidden beneath the folds of the hoods, they conveyed humor, curiosity, aggressiveness, tenderness, longevity, and bravery all at the same time. It was as if the elvin eyes were aged, that they knew all, revealed nothing, but conveyed so much. But more than all of this was the color. All of the pairs of eyes that stared at the two friends were blue. They weren't just any blue but a blue found only in the sky amidst clouds and birds. They seemed to spark in the sun as well as to reflect Jane and Emmanuel's scared faces in their pupils as they stood, arrow to nose, with the humans.   
  
The silence became uncomfortable when both parties failed to say anything. Jane and Emmanuel stood quietly, eyes wide in the face of the weapons and the briskness of their arrival.   
  
"If you have any weapons please dispose of them now," said a soft low voice from one of the lead elves. His eyes zeroed in on the leaf that held together Emmanuel's long white coat. He said nothing as of yet, but the fact that the human possessed such an object was a curiosity to the elf nonetheless.   
  
"English?" Emmanuel asked, more to himself, as if--for a moment--putting a pause on the dangerous situation at hand, "Westron Speech is English? That's impossible, the age of this leaf..." he fingered the emerald clasp absently, "is older than the age of the dinosaurs. Isn't English derived from the combination of French Latin and the Germanic language? It's impossible," he repeated again to himself.   
  
A bit of confusion came onto the lead elf. His eyes faltered for a moment. He did not like dealing with things that he knew nothing about, especially at his age.   
  
"Emmanuel!" Jane exclaimed with a growl, "We have bigger problems than that now." She nudged an elbow in the direction of the dozen elves pointing with their arrows.  
  
Emmanuel said nothing but fingered his lower lip in thought. He scratched the inside of his sleeve, feeling the loose string from earlier that morning and pushed it deeper into the folds of his clothing.   
  
"Do you possess any weapons?" the elf asked, his voice was soft and soothing yet it held something of confusion in it.   
  
"No," Emmanuel said as if the question meant nothing to him. He seemed to brush off the elves all together as he thrust himself back in thought. His thoughts were of the Common Language and it being English and the fact that the elves' skin seemed to glow and whether the source was exterior or interior.   
  
Slowly arrows lowered. The elves shifted the hoods from their heads, showing their golden hair and the curving points of their ears. The entire demeanor of the situation seemed to change. Instead of tense, the emotion quickly went to confusion. The elves spoke to each other briskly in their own language causing Emmanuel to look up suddenly, putting a hold on his thoughts.   
  
He had read about Elvish, Sindarin, and even learned some elementary words and phrases. But to hear the language spoken was a completely different experience. Emmanuel listened on in awe as he tried to pick out words or phrases, but failed miserably. Tolkien described it correctly when he said the language was like a song. But in its briskness it sounded more like a jig. Emmanuel chuckled silently at his metaphor.  
  
"Who are you? And what is your business in these woods?" The elf held back a smirk as the humans stumbled over their own names, names that were strange and drawn out like that of halflings, with a first and a last label.   
  
"E...Emmanuel Parlor, I'm a scientist, though you probably aren't familiar with that term are you? Alchemist perhaps? Though I'm not exactly sure if you're familiar with that term either. There isn't any mention of alchemi..." The woman beside him put Emmanuel's hurried speech to a stop, much to the relief of the elves.  
  
"I'm...Jane Suntry. We're very sorry to have bothered you. We just came for a visit, we can go now..."  
  
"I'm afraid that is impossible. The Lord and Lady will want to see who has been wandering around in their woods, especially if one of these beings has on a Leaf of Lorien." He stared at Emmanuel's coat again with a bit of unease.   
  
"Oh this?" Emmanuel asked pointed the leaf on his coat, "This...this isn't anything. It's...um...I bought it. At a...er..." he looked at Jane with longing eyes as if to say "You're free to step in here anytime".  
  
"In town!" she said, inspiration striking her, "An old mysterious woman with a long nose and a cape sold it to us. We were just...er..."  
  
"Tracking down the owner!" Emmanuel said with excitement as Jane nodded over-enthusiastically.  
  
"Which led us here!" Jane threw in.   
  
The elf was careful to keep the amusement from his eyes. "And from what town was it that you came upon this treasure that you so bravely decided to return?"  
  
Both beings froze and the elf fought even harder to keep his eyes hard and aggressive. This was a serious matter, the elf thought. But at the sight of the two exchanging glances at each other like fumbling thieves escaped from prison it was hard to grasp the seriousness of the matter.  
  
"A...very-very-smaaaalll town," Emmanuel said slowly when nothing else came to his head. -So much for scientists being quick thinkers. - He thought miserably.  
  
"Ah," said the elf, unbelieving, "I should kill you both right now for trespassing," he said, amusement now showing clearly in his eyes. Though the amusement was not seen by the two humans who were clearly too afraid to notice it. "But," he said holding a hand up at the woman-known-as-Jane's open mouth, "I will, instead, take you to the Lord and Lady of the Galadhrim and let them decide what shall be done with you. They will find all of this most..." his tongue worked for the right word, "interesting," he said finally.  
  
"Galadriel?" Emmanuel whispered to himself, finally capturing the reality of the situation. Thoughtlessly, he fiddled once again with the string at his cuff. He failed to see the curious look of the lead elf, who was confused by him, not for the first time. 


	5. Author's Note an apology

I would like to formally apologize for all people actually reading (and enjoying) this story. I am working on the fourth chapter of this story now. While I was working on this chapter before my power went out (also blowing the surge protector to my computer...thank God that my computer was not fried). So, in conclusion, I lost all of my work on the chapter. Not to worry though, I will prevail.   
  
Another reason (I'm just chalk full of excuses aren't I?) that I haven't been as quick on chapter 4 as the other chapters is that I had the other three chapters prewritten. So all I had to do was revise them and send them on their way. This chapter has been through an awful lot.  
  
So...all excuses behind me, I will get on with the fourth chapter of this story. I'm very happy that people are enjoying it.   
  
REVIEW TIME  
  
(I've seen many people on this site reply to reviews...so I thought I'd take this intermission in writing [since my original plan to post chapter 4 was thwarted] to comment on you six lovely reviews!)  
  
Bluebell,  
Thank you for liking this story. Thank you for giving me my first review on it. You mentioned in your review that you would strangle me if I didn't write the first part; I hope you will perhaps put a rain check on that.   
  
Oh, I just read your second review. Thank you for not strangling me...I don't think blue is my color.  
  
BoromirsBabe,  
I am actually trying to twist my brain-fingers around an interesting scene involving Boromir. I hope it will work.   
  
Elf_of_Lorien,  
Firstly, I would like to say that I'm honored to have an actual elf reading my work. :)   
  
Secondly, I've always thought that Middle Earth was not a different universe but, rather, a different time. I try to stay with the book though I have to look back at it from time to time. I've actually found myself reading an entire chapter over again. (To feel the real impact in that statement I suppose you have to know that I simply despise reading any book over again.) I'm glad I'm doing a good job with keeping true to the book.   
  
Ryan, I'm glad you love this story. I think my worst critic, at this point, is myself. I'm glad you've gotten partially attached to the characters that I've added and want to see what they'll do in the story as opposed to when they will meet the fellowship. Thank you.  
  
Bluebell (the Bluebell strikes again), Thank you for your third review. Thanks for assuring that my story isn't as choppy as I first assumed. You're pampering me! Makin' me feel so darn good for myself...Thank you.   
  
A big conclusive thank you to all that did not review but still read (whether you enjoyed this story or not). Anyone who hates this story please leave me a note. If you dislike the plot, characterizations, descriptions, or if my pen name simply annoys you tell me about it. That might sound a bit masochistic but I think I need some negative comments too...not that I don't like the positive comments! (After I finish chewing on the foot that's suddenly appeared in my mouth I'll get to work again on chapter 4 again.) 


	6. Chapter Four: Through the Woods

Chapter 4: Through the woods  
  
Disclaimer: (you knew this was coming) Again, I'm sorry for having this so darn late. First it was my computer then it was my constant changes. I promise I'll have Chapter 5 sooner (for those still interested in this story). If you would all like to have a group struggling of the author feel free, I deserve it.   
  
I tried to get as much correct (according to Tolkien's world) that I could. If you see anything that's questionable please tell me. You guys are actually the experts...I'm just a person trying to write a fictional story from the perspective of a fan.  
  
It was a long journey, longer than either Emmanuel or Jane ever imagined. It was all on foot as well. They tromped through the forest, chilled in the arrival of winter. Strange, they had not noticed the cold before when entranced by the leaves and distracted by the presence of sharp weapons. But now the forests seemed almost a bother and the leaves had already lost their mystic glow due to the dying sun.  
  
Emmanuel could hear Jane's teeth chattering and saw that she sported, again, the toboggan that she had smuggled in her pocket before they left. Small black curls of hair poked out in strange directions from under the woolen hat.   
  
"It's so cold!" she said through the waver of her shivering.  
  
"I know, you're sending Morris code through your teeth."  
  
The young redheaded man turned towards the elves beside him. If they were cold they did not show it. They walked on through the woods barely making a sound even though leaves had fallen all around them. He flinched as his own feet made sharp crunches in the leaves.   
  
Emmanuel turned again towards Jane as she cleared her throat pointedly at the elf ahead of her. The leader turned around, having pulled his hood over his head the former scientist could barely make out the features of his face in the darkness that was slowly getting darker.   
  
"I was just going to ask..." Jane said through chattering teeth, "If you would care to share your name. I would hate to have to keep referring to you as the-only-elf-that-talks-to-us."  
  
There was no way of telling whether the leader smiled at the comment or not, but he was not offended by it for he answered simply, "I am Haldir. I apologize for not mentioning that earlier. And as for the fact that I am the only elf that talks to you, I am one of the few that can."  
  
"Haldir?" Emmanuel whispered.  
  
Haldir turned, confused, at the human. "You say my name as if you have known me. But I have never met you before. There are many strange things about you both..." he trailed off looking ahead suddenly, "The night is getting dark, even for elven eyes. There are a few *talans* ahead. We can rest there until it becomes light again."  
  
"Talans?" Jane stared questioningly at the trees, forgetting what the elven word meant for it had been years since she had read Tolkien's books.   
  
Emmanuel cut Haldir off before he could say anything, "They're like platforms in the trees. Remember?" Emmanuel could have kicked himself for that last word. The last thing he wanted Haldir to know was that Emmanuel knew what he knew and, more importantly, how he knew it. He just didn't think it would be the best idea for the elf to find out that he read a series of books that eventually lead to him building a time machine and traveling trillions of years into Middle Earth in some crazy attempt to fulfill a dream.  
  
Wincing inwardly Emmanuel waited for Haldir to question him. Instead the elf simply brought the company to a halt. Haldir let out a strange wavering whistle up the tree. If Emmanuel had heard such a whistle out in the woods he would have discounted it as some sort of bird.   
  
A long silver ladder rolled down and shimmered in the light of the newly risen moon. Both humans' breath caught in their throats in the recognition of the rope as it was described in the trilogy.   
  
Haldir, tired of counting the oddities of the two, ignored the recognition present in the gasps and started to ascend. "Come up behind me and the rest of the elves will follow behind you."  
  
They both nodded slowly as they looked at each other, eyes wide in curiosity.   
  
Jane breathed, "Is that..."  
  
"I think it is," Emmanuel said just as softly, as if speaking any louder would scare the rope away.   
  
Emmanuel placed a tentative hand onto the shining rope ladder. It was soft, like it was made of cotton. But when he gave a slight pull he found that it was also strong. There was a strange tingling sensation that could have easily been caused by nervousness, but was possible that it came from the rope.  
  
There was a slight chuckle around him from the elves.  
  
"Be quick!" came a voice from above that could only be Haldir's.  
  
Knocked out of his trance Emmanuel did his best to quickly ascend the ladder as Haldir did. But, unfortunately, his agility wasn't that terribly good. A few times, even, he felt himself about to slip, but the rope seemed to compensate for the young man's clumsiness and it even seemed to hold him to it at times so he would not fall.  
  
"Emmanuel!" Jane called up at another of the redhead's pauses. "What are you doing up there? Your butt is in my face!"  
  
"Sorry," Emmanuel called down with a slight smirk.   
  
It seemed a longer way up than described in Tolkien's book to the elven talans. But when they finally reached the top of the wooden platform, it seemed worth the climb. Waiting upon the "flet" were warm skins to sleep in. A silvery curtain was stayed to the side like a wall against the wind.   
  
But, as the young humans looked down from their perch, they understood the Hobbits' uneasiness in being up so high. Even though the flet was sturdy it seemed to sway a micron with the wind. While a micron of swaying probably meant nothing to elves, who had resided in the trees their entire lives, the swaying seemed triple the force in Emmanuel's mind.  
  
Tentatively Emmanuel sat down upon the wooden platform, careful not to fix his eyes to the ground below. Instead he looked above him to the small points of light. Even in the most secluded places in Wales he could not see so many stars. He heard an odd sound beside him. It sounded a bit like a lawnmower that was out of gas. He laughed when he discovered what it was.  
  
As soon as the skins were wrapped around her Jane fell into a deep sleep. She had been napping when Emmanuel had called her on the phone because she hadn't gotten any sleep the night before. Now her body felt it was a very good time to make up for the lack. Her snores came, emanating, from her opened mouth.   
  
"Can you quiet her?" The soft voice almost startled him. He had quite forgotten about the elves that talked in hushed voices around them.   
  
"I...I'll try." Emmanuel shook the woman's shoulder a bit. Grunting, she rolled over and her snores were quieted to deep breaths. "There," he said, sounding much achieved. He didn't think it would actually work. He looked around for approval but found that Haldir had snuck back to the corner of the flet and talked in whispers to his comrades.   
  
Try as he might Emmanuel couldn't get to sleep. He looked at the fibers in the sheet that covered the one side. They flickered like the leaves. They even reflected the moonlight as the leaves did. He was sure if he were outside, even eye level with the platform, he would not be able to make out anything but leaves. It was really quite ingenious.   
  
The young man sighed, tired of lying down. He sat up and leaned his red head back and looked at the stars again.   
  
There was a whisper beside him that he thought was, at first, Jane's voice. But when he saw Jane sleeping soundly he found that it was Haldir.   
  
"My father used to tell me that Elves used to reside in the stars. He told me that someday we might return." Haldir shifted his hood off to look at the stars beside Emmanuel.   
  
Emmanuel, in a bit of shock at actual conversation, nodded at the elf, not knowing what to reply.  
  
"I've always wondered what the stars actually are," Haldir continued, "I know that they are small specks of light but I imagine that they must be something magical. I have heard many explanations but none seem quite right to me."  
  
Emmanuel took a breath and whispered, "Stars; small balls of particles and space dust, held together in a delicate unity with the force of gravity. The light from them takes a billion years to reach earth, which means that the stars we are seeing now are long dead." He chuckled.  
  
"What is funny?" Haldir asked, knitting his pale eyebrows together still trying to discern the explanation that Emmanuel had given for the stars.  
  
"Nothing...it's just-I wonder what the fanatics would say if they learned that elves might me extra-terrestrials," he laughed a bit louder, but still in a whisper.  
  
"Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel will certainly find you..."  
  
"Interesting?" Emmanuel finished for the elf.   
  
It was Haldir's time to chuckle. The laugh sounded much like wind chimes. "Yes...very." Haldir suddenly got quiet, "I will have to leave. I have been sent a message that a group enters the woods. They have been seen just a while ago in Nimrodel. One of them sings and there is talk that he is elven." He turned to the group of the gray clad figures and spoke quickly in elvish. A single elf came over, "This is Tarenuil, he will lead you and...Jane," he glanced over at the sleeping girl for a moment, "the rest of the way." Haldir glanced at the hooded elf and Tarenuil nodded briskly. "He does not know much Westron but that shouldn't be a problem."  
  
"Okay," Emmanuel said, a little dazed with so much information at once. "Singing?"  
  
"You needn't worry. Be well," and with this statement Haldir and all but one other elf besides Tarenuil was gone. Emmanuel was confused as to why the other elf stayed but was too tired to think on it.   
  
All of a sudden the young former scientist had gotten very drowsy. He probably would have guessed whom the group was that Haldir spoke of if he was more conscious but his head felt heavy all of a sudden. Sleep started to catch up with the young man. The last thing he saw before falling into his dreams was two elves huddled over a small lamp, their figures silhouetted against the moon's light.   
  
***  
  
Morning came too quickly. Both Emmanuel and Jane were jostled away at the first light of day.   
  
Emmanuel shot up to the face of Tarenuil partially shadowed by the hood he was still wearing. He looked as if searching for something for a moment and then said slowly and haltingly, "Orcs came..." his eyes searched again for words.  
  
"Last night?" Emmanuel said startled. The elf gave a confirming nod. "Are they gone now?" Another nod affirmed his question. Emmanuel breathed out, shuddering silently.  
  
Jane was groaning with the suddenness of the rude awakening. "Where's Haldir?" she asked groggily, bleary eyes looking at the two elves left.   
  
"He's gone," answered Emmanuel as the elves spoke to each other for a moment, "He's gone to meet a group who wandered into the woods. He said one of them was singing or something." Emmanuel yawned and pushed back his red mop from his eyes. He scratched the thread at his sleeve once more, reminding himself to pull the thread out later.   
  
Jane propped her self up to her elbows taking off the toboggan and letting her hair go wild. "You don't think that the group is...you-know-who?"  
  
Emmanuel got to his feet and looked at the sun shining through the now golden leaves. "Who?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.   
  
Tarenuil grabbed the human's arm, "Come," he said pointing down the ladder.   
  
"Well, at least he knows how to conjugate 'go'," Emmanuel said grinning.   
  
"You-know-who!" Jane insisted ignoring Emmanuel's outstretched hand to help her up.   
  
"No, I'm afraid I don't."  
  
"Ugh!" she said exhausted, "Sometimes you can be so stupid at times."  
  
Emmanuel frowned at her as they made their way to the ladder.  
  
"Care to enlighten me?" he asked mounting the silvery ropes. He fumbled his way down, but with less effort now that he could see where he was going.   
  
"The F-E-L-L-O-W-S-H-I-P," she mumbled spelling it out in case the elves' Westron was better than it seemed.   
  
Emmanuel almost chuckled until, "Oh!" he exclaimed.   
  
"'Oh!' he says. Now he gets it!" She dismounted the rope ladder and glanced towards the two elves, now with their hoods down.   
  
"Do you think?" he asked staring at her with inquisitive eyes.  
  
"Maybe."   
  
Emmanuel looked in mild fascination at the place where the rope had hung. It was no longer there. But his thoughts were more on the fact that there was a large possibility of actually meeting the Fellowship!   
He was surprised to learn that even Haldir existed (because while the world in Tolkien's book could have most definitely be real he had doubted the occurrence of the events and even the existence of some characters, but if they did exist...).  
  
He walked blindly behind the two elves not taking into account to where he was or the beauty around him. For the moment, he was lost in his thoughts.  
  
There was a sudden halt in movement and Emmanuel was suddenly aware of the existence of a river. He heard rushing water and when he turned his head upward he saw that that was indeed what it was. It was a beautiful sight to see really. There were flicks of life that could easily mesmerize someone to stare at the rushing water for hours on end.   
  
"We have to cross!" Emmanuel exclaimed to Jane remembering in great detail that part of the book.   
  
"We what?" Jane said crossing her arms into a stubborn position.   
  
"The river," he dipped his voice to a low whisper and turned away from the elves, "It's the river Celebrant. In the 'Fellowship' they had to cross a river before they got to the heart of Lorien. This must be it!"  
  
"Refresh me, Emmanuel," said Jane, still doubtful, "How did they cross?"  
  
Emmanuel turned around towards the river with glee at the timing of Jane's question, "Like that!" he said, excitedly, pointing at the two ropes strung across the river tied to trees. Another elf stood on the opposite bank in hood, waiting for them to cross.   
  
Tarenuil, confused at the humans' sudden discussion, had went ahead and provided an extra rope for the predictably clumsier beings. He now sent his brother, Torhil, over the rope to wait for them on the other side. Torhil was a bit showy, almost skipping across the higher rope with not so much as a glance down at the river. Tarenuil looked over at the humans and was amused by their wide eyes and opened mouths. He could not tell what they spoke, but he could imagine it well enough.  
  
"Did you see that?!" Jane asked watching the tall elf dance across to the other side of the river. "Tell me I wasn't the only one that saw that."  
  
"Their center of balance...perhaps they can control it. I'm not sure how they could control it...perhaps they can shift it. But to be as light as to not even bend the rope. Maybe they can shift the distribution of their weight, or perhaps their bones are..." Emmanuel could have gone on and on. Luckily, he had a friend.  
  
"All you had to say was, 'Yes, Jane, I did see that.'"  
  
"Well, that was the conclusion."  
  
"I don't know why I even talk to you," she rolled her eyes and walked towards Tarenuil.   
  
"Taren...uh...ewel-il-ul...Taren," giving up on the full pronunciation of the elve's name she continued, "I suppose we're going to have to walk across this?"  
  
The elf looked lost in the words. He pointed to the rope and made a motion on how to mount it. Jane took the hint and slowly put her feet on the lower string and clasped her hands on the top. She took a deep breath and inched her way across. Soon after she had started Tarenuil grabbed at the lab coat garbed human and motioned for him to do the same.   
  
Emmanuel sighed. He was not looking forward to this. He had become a scientist for many reasons. One of the reasons was his total lack of physical ability. In fact, the extent of his physical ability was the origami that his mom had taught him before she passed away. He could make any animal imaginable out of small pieces of paper, but as for tight rope walking across a raging river...it was a skill he just hadn't found the time to fine tune.   
  
"Oh that's comforting," Jane said staring up.  
  
Emmanuel made sure his footing wouldn't abandon him as he looked above; there walking slowly on the higher rope was Tarenuil, looking a bit bored.   
  
"I bet you think this is funny," said Jane to the elf, knowing he couldn't understand her. "Look at the clumsy humans trying to make it across the rope! Ha ha ha, let's all laugh at their clumsiness!"  
  
The elf smiled at the outburst. You didn't have to know a language to know an emotion.   
  
Emmanuel stared at his feet smiling at her outrage. His big goal now was not to slip and make a complete moron of himself. Luckily he was upstaged.  
  
"Bloo-," She didn't have time to finish her statement before the woman's feet slipped off of the bottom rope. Her hand held tight to the top rope, worn fingers turning pale at the knuckles. The top rope stayed its tautness and only moved slightly at the sudden weight upon it.   
  
Fearing for his own stability Emmanuel could only stare as his friend dangled off of the rope trying to get her feet back on the second rope. The freezing water lapped at her legs and saturated the bottoms of her pants as she struggled against the earth's gravity.   
  
As soon as Tarenuil sensed danger he leapt over the slower human ahead to the one dangling off of the rope. He would have laughed but it would have been dominated by the woman's shouts that he could only imagine were obscenities. Once over her he grabbed at the woman's darker hand and felt it grip tight around his own. He pulled until the woman struggled, breathing hard, to get her feet back upon the bottom rope. When she was back on he leaned towards her and uttered one of the few Westron words that Haldir had taught him, "Good?"  
  
"Yeah, sure, great...," Jane said huffing and puffing. "This place keeps getting better and better."  
  
After the trauma of the incident both Jane and Emmanuel shakily made their way to the other bank.   
  
Emmanuel mused when he saw Jane leaning face forward on a tree, "I believe in the U.S. they have a saying for that."  
  
"What is that?" Jane said, not particularly interested.   
  
"Tree-hugging hippie," he said, containing laughter.  
  
Jane rolled her eyes, "Laugh it up. Just remember that you weren't exactly graceful yourself when it comes to ropes."  
  
"Of course not," he said with a mock straight face, "I'm sorry. How silly of me."  
  
She slapped him a few times in the arm before their bantering was interrupting by their companion who beckoned them to follow.   
  
This walk was even longer than the last. At first the sun was high and the leaf whistled with happy tunes as the winds past by making them act as wind chimes. The hike was tiring. There was much quiet complaining that Tarenuil was lucky not to be able to understand the whining. He simply talked silently with his brother.   
  
Soon the conversation dwindled. The night grew dark again and once again they were rushed up a tree. Emmanuel, still not able to fall asleep right away, sat up, animal skins wrapped around him, looking up to the stars again.   
  
Jane shifted beside him. She was just as restless as Emmanuel so sang a song to help her drift to sleep. It was a song sung to her by her older sister who, at the moment, seemed billions and billions of miles away.  
  
"Down in the valley," she mumbled softly into her arm, "The valley so low...," she took a breath, "Hang your head over-hear the wind blow. Here the wind blow, dear; hear the wind blow. Down in the valley; the valley so low." It was a calming tune but she still felt restless.   
  
The tune suddenly came to her again but, this time, it was not of her creating. The singing came from one of the elves clad in their gray cloak. It was different words (much more adapt to the song-it seemed) but the tune was exactly the same.   
  
Both humans looked at the elf strangely. In the light of the elven lamp, he smiled. It was the second elf who had sung the song. It was Tarenuil's brother, Trohil, but Emmanuel and Jane did not know that this was his name.   
  
Jane decided to try something. She started singing the song again. As she thought Trohil joined with her. Taking some lessons she had learned from the church choir she harmonized. Elven and Westron intertwined around the tune of the song. It was as if the tune was a Maypole and the words of the songs where the ribbons tied around it. When sung together it was like a colorful braid of beautiful harmonies. After the song was finally over there seemed to be a collective sigh in the world.   
  
"Wow," Jane whispered as she lay her head down and fell asleep. The song had sent Emmanuel into a pleasant doze a few seconds before it had ended.   
  
The next morning the journey continued. It seemed calmer. There was hardly a word from anyone, from either language. It was as if language wasn't needed. The company came to a halt when the sun was high. Emmanuel and Jane caught their breaths' as their eyes were gifted with an amazing sight.  
  
A huge tree with bark of pure white stood. Its branches were like small rivers on a map. There weren't any leafs on the branches but in it's amazing beauty it didn't seem to need any. Around the tree was grass as green as Ireland, perhaps even greener. It seemed the kind of grass suited for rolling around in and staring at the clouds on.  
  
But more magnificent than all of this was the elven structure that sat upon the branches. It gleamed in the bright sun. It was silhouetted by the blue sky and framed by pale flowers in pastel colors. It was like a painting come to life. No movie could ever do this place justice.   
  
The smell, the sight, the sound, and the feel of this place...it was pure. This was the Eden that was spoken about. This would be where white doves would exist if they existed in this world. It seemed nothing could taint this sanctuary...and that's just what it was, a sanctuary. If this were a close equivalent to heaven Emmanuel wouldn't have mind if he keeled over right there in the middle of it.   
  
With his heart beating hard in his chest, he lay a hand upon the Leaf of Lorien, warm beneath his touch. For the first time in his entire life he felt as if he was home. 


	7. Chapter Five: Lady Galadriel

Disclaimer: I had some grammatical errors in the last chapter...for instance, "life" is actually "lights" I believe (or "leaves" I can't remember). And there were some other words that, if they didn't make since they were probably meant to be something else. I'll try not to do that in this chapter.   
  
Chapter 5: Lady Galadriel  
  
"Come," said Tarenuil.  
  
"We're not staying?" asked Emmanuel, confused.   
  
"No," there was a tinge of sadness in the elves voice, as if he had wanted to stay as well, "Come."  
  
They walked past the white tree that Emmanuel could only figure was Cerin Amroth. He looked at a peculiar rise in land that he assumed was the mound of Amroth. The grass upon this mound was greener and brighter than any other grass around it.   
  
Little by little the day got darker again. Little by little the sights that were of beauty got dimmer and dimmer. Silence, punctuated by wind, was their only company during the journey. Just as hope was dwindling that they would ever make it to the place where the Lord and Lady dwelled an opening appeared. The grass looked oddly silver in the sinking sun. It was not yet dark but it was dark enough to play with the humans' eyes. The open fields looked almost like a deep basin and they walked tentatively through it.  
  
They finally reached an enormous green wall that seemed to be surrounding a hill where the trees reached towards the heavens (and looked much like some of them were already there). It was as if they had stepped into a completely different world, and the green wall shimmered in the light of the still lowering sun.   
  
Emmanuel approached the elves not being able to distinguish one to the other. He posed his question generally to both of them, "Is this Caras Galadhon?" He stumbled through the pronunciation and knew that he had not done it justice.   
  
Tarenuil turned towards the human followed by his brother, both looked confused at the question. For a moment Emmanuel thought he had mispronounced the name so badly that they did not know what he was talking about.   
  
But finally, "Yes," Tarenuil said, confused. If Tarenuil had known the words to ask him how he knew of such a thing in Westron he would have. But he did not so, instead, he muttered the question to his brother who gave only a shrug in reply.   
  
"Come," Tarenuil said again, knowing that they could not get in on this side. The southern side was a long ways away along a road paved in white stones. When the elf was small he remembered traveling along this road trying to step on the individual stones as a game with his brother Trohil. They would always trail behind on hunting trips leaving his father to rush them forward again with his hands on their necks guiding them past Caras Galadhon until they had left the stone walkway behind.   
  
"That's his favorite word, isn't it?" Jane asked when Tarenuil said, "come." She was tempted to take one of the white rocks with her, being an archeologist and all. Finally the temptation was too much and when neither elf was looking she smuggled a small pebble in her pocket and smiled like a cat that had just gotten away with eating the family bird.   
  
"I suppose so," said Emmanuel distracted by the natural beauty around him. He looked over to the side and found that he had never thought that all of this would be so vast. When reading the book he had pictured the city to be rather small but now, looking out into the woods to his left, he could see its actual size. There must've been an abundance of elves that lived here, more that he could ever imagine. The lights from the leaves reflected the lowering sun creating an almost metropolitan kind of atmosphere, like something seen in New York City.  
  
They crossed a white bridge; everything here seemed to be of a pale color. It was much like a metaphor for the entire woods. The pale bark and the pale bridge, the white stones used for a path, the golden leaves, this land was a representation of all of the riches in the world. But it was anything but gaudy. It was pure.  
  
Finally they came upon two great doors. While Trohil spoke quietly to the doors as he knocked, sending the great barriers open immediately, though soundlessly; Tarenuil turned towards Jane and Emmanuel to speak.   
  
"Galadhrim," said the elf.  
  
"This is where Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel reside?" asked Emmanuel peaking into the freshly opened doors.  
  
The elf nodded. As they entered Emmanuel thought he could hear singing from all around them. Jane looked around with large eyes at the trees. It would have been logical to assume that they were stunned. They had seen so much beauty that day and this was the taker of the cake.  
  
Soon they came upon a tree that, compared to the other trees, made them seem smaller and less brilliant. Its white skin gleamed like silver in the darkness of the upcoming night. The purple sky littered with stars behind it drew their eyes up to its branches that seemed to stretch for miles in all directions.   
  
"That's chain mail," Jane said as she spied three guards at the base of the tree. Their mail made them look dangerous, but at the same time it gleamed as silver as the tree and sparkled like sequins upon their bodies as they moved.   
  
Tarenuil spoke in quick elvish to one of the guards; the guard nodded briskly and brought out a horn. Emmanuel breathed quickly, knowing what was going to happen.  
  
Once the horn was blown, strong and true, Emmanuel nudged Jane and told her to listen. Two faint clear blows came from above somewhere in the limbs of the tree. Emmanuel started, wasn't it supposed to be three?  
  
The guard shook his head. Tarenuil spoke quickly to him but it was to no avail. They would not let the strangers up. Galadriel and Celeborn must have not gotten the message that was sent. Scowling Tarenuil sent his brother up to explain the situation to the Lord and Lady. The guard stood beside the one elf and two humans as Tarenuil sat with his hands upon his knees. The humans, on either side, followed in suit.   
  
"So...they won't let us up?" Jane asked Emmanuel over the elf's head.  
  
"I guess not."  
  
The three sat again, in silence.   
  
"You think we could take them?" Jane joked.   
  
"Sure. I'll be right behind you," Emmanuel answered, chuckling.   
  
Tarenuil followed the conversation like one would follow a tennis game switching from the left to the right side not knowing a word that was said.   
  
"So...what do we do if they don't let us up?"  
  
Emmanuel shrugged, "Yell and scream and picket in a circle while singing Kumbaiya?"  
  
"That sounds like a gre..." Jane was interrupted by the elf in the middle, who had gotten quite tired of listening to a conversation that he could not understand.  
  
"Quiet," he said in agitation. Both humans looked shocked at the outburst and then hurt as if they had been scolded. "Please?" the elf asked, hoping to cushion the sudden burst.   
  
Just then three clear notes range from above and Tarenuil shot up, relieved at finally being away from the nonsense of Jane and Emmanuel.   
  
They came upon a ladder and Tarenuil motioned the two to follow after him.   
  
"Great," said Jane, "Another ladder."  
  
"At least this one isn't made of rope," Emmanuel teased. Jane rolled her eyes in reply.   
  
It was a tiresome climb to the top. Along the way they passed many *talans* and sometimes even through some of them. Unlike the rope the wooden ladder didn't sway so it was an easier climb, but a longer one nonetheless.   
  
Breath coming in gasps the humans trailed behind the elf, who was climbing with great ease through the levels of the tree. At one point Jane started humming the "Rocky" theme song and a second after that Emmanuel started humming with her. Unfortunately even the length of the song could not endure the climb and they were back to working their way up past the flets in silent moans.   
  
Finally, when Emmanuel thought that he could not take one more step, there came an enormous *talan*. There was a house built upon the platform that was absolutely stunning. They entered the house only to be stunned once again by the sights from within. There, sitting upon chairs, looking as tall as the trees, were Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. They seemed a mismatch though in perfect harmony. They were a clash of silver and gold. Lord Celeborn's silvery hair went straight down his face, like silk it draped over his white gowns. Lady Galadriel's was of a deep gold and came in curls around her face and down her back and she held a face of consternation at the strangers.  
  
"You speak Westron I assume," the Lord asked gravely, his eyes shot through the duo, older eyes than any other elf that they had met until now.   
  
"Y...Yes," Emmanuel stuttered out, suddenly feeling like he didn't belong with the ice like stares of both Lord and Lady. Though their robes were light and darkness around them seemed to be pushing both of the humans out. They were tall, but the brilliance was lost when they looked into the old elves' eyes that were a mixture of confusion and agitation.  
  
Beside him, Jane breathed uneasily and Emmanuel knew she was feeling the same way as he.   
  
"Why are you here?" Lady Galadriel's deep voice was almost deeper than that of Celeborn's. The question was directed towards both Jane and Emmanuel but it hit Emmanuel the hardest.  
  
"Uh...yeah," Jane stuttered glancing towards her soundless friend, "We...erm...we..."  
  
"Yes," bellowed Lord Celeborn.  
  
"Leaf!" Jane blurted out, "Has anyone lost a leaf?" She pointed to Emmanuel's lab coat, which immediately caused Emmanuel to snap out of the trance that fear had put him in and look at Jane with an almost grateful face.   
  
Jane looked around the room as if one elf would raise his hand and say, "Yes, it's mine! Thanks for bringing it back."  
  
The room was silent and the Lord and Lady glanced at each other in confusion and then back at the strangers. Lord Celeborn started to speak but his companion held him back. He spoke to her in elvish, "*Galadriel, we do not know these strangers,*" he said.  
  
"*They do not pose a threat,*" she insisted.   
  
"*We do not know that.*"  
  
"*Let me handle the unknown then, Celeborn.*" Galadriel turned towards the confused travelers. Her eyes became intrusive as she stared at both of them.   
  
Jane's breath quickened as the elf maiden gazed into her dark eyes. "You know," she said between breaths, "My brother and I always used to have staring contests...I always won." Galadriel's gaze broke and a smile passed her lips.   
  
The entire room seemed to grow lighter as Galadriel smiled. The colors seemed more vibrant and the shadows seemed less threatening. Emmanuel smiled in relief.  
  
Galadriel's voice then turned serious, but not threatening like it was before, "I know why you are here, Emmanuel." Emmanuel could only assume that Tarenuil's companion told Galadriel their names.   
  
"Yes," Emmanuel said quickly, "The leaf." The word "leaf" came across as an unintentional squeak, like that of a young boy going through puberty. Jane snickered and Emmanuel turned around and looked accusingly to her only to whip his head around again at the sound of Galadriel's voice.   
  
"You will not find what you are looking for here, Emmanuel," said Galadriel's deep feminine voice. Emmanuel got uncomfortable with his name being said more than once, and with as much conviction as she said it.  
  
"Wh... what is it that I am looking for?" Emmanuel asked knowing that the answer had still escaped him though the longing was still there.   
  
"I know this; you do not belong here. And you will not find what you are looking for in Galadhrim or any other part of Lorien. As soon as you are able, you will leave-both of you," she turned to Jane causing the wild haired woman to involuntarily swallow.   
  
"The leaf?" asked Celeborn of Galadriel while eyeing the green-gold clasp, holding the top of Emmanuel's coat.  
  
"Is as misplaced as these two," said Galadriel as she stood making her height seem even more intimidating.   
  
As if Emmanuel had done something wrong he looked down at his feet. He scratched the loose string at his coat absently. He felt a secret doubt in his mind, like he had intruded on something very important. The Lord and Lady began to leave.   
  
"Wait!" Jane's voice suddenly filled the room. Emmanuel winced, wishing for a gag. The Lady and Lord turned around towards the two, eyebrows cocked almost comically.   
  
"Misplaced?" Jane asked incredulously, "Yes, we don't belong, I get that. But misplaced?" she asked again. "You make us sound like a pair of lost car keys or something," she went on (as if she would stop) ignoring the confused looks at the expression, "What makes you think that you can stare both of us down and tell who we are anyways? Are you psychic, because if you are that was one bloody awful reading! Then you just walk away like your mysterious! I'll tell you what's mysterious-the green stuff in my fridge that's been there for two years..."  
  
"Jane!" Emmanuel exclaimed, but to no avail.   
  
"But you," Jane continued ignoring her friend's plea, "You're just...just a blonde who think she knows everything just because-"  
  
"Jane," Emmanuel practically whined putting head in hands.   
  
The golden elven woman held up a fair hand, "I'm sorry to have offended you," she said sincerely. She looked around at Celeborn who was trying hard to keep a straight face, "I certainly did not mean to do as such. But these are tense times; any strange occurrence is one to be studied. And you two are definitely not of the norm. I do not mean that as an offense," said the elf quickly before Jane could protest, "but you understand our worry?"  
  
Both nodded solemnly.  
  
"You will be permitted to stay for a short time, but you must leave with in the next few days. Do you understand?"  
  
Again the duo nodded.   
  
"Good." With this word both elves made their way from the strangers, gowns about them like wings upon angels. 


	8. Chapter Six: Fellowship Origami

"...essentially a worship of the Imperfect, as it is a tender attempt to accomplish something possible in this impossible thing we know as life...it is moral geometry, inasmuch as it defines our sense of proportion to the universe." (Kakuzo Okakura, The Book of Tea)-referring to the art of origami.  
  
Chapter 6: Fellogami  
  
An hour had past by and Emmanuel and Jane had found that the mystical habitat of the elves wasn't as exciting as they had expected. At first they were entranced by the singing and ennamured with the food. They fascinated how "lembas" seemed to melt in their mouth like cotton candy but sat heavy in their stomachs like a full meal. They delighted in watching the elves, but that grew old faster than any other. Even Jane, who was an expert "people watcher" found the docile creatures less exciting that she had conceived.   
  
Now Jane sat on a high *talan* looking down through the trees at the glimpses of activity from below in the dark night. She looked over at an elf watching her. She smiled curtiously only to be received by a turn of the head in the opposite direction. She brushed off the reaction, both her and Emmanuel had been getting a lot of it lately. It seemed that they were the suspicion of almost every elf.   
  
She wondered where Emmanuel had gotten off to as she traced a finger, it contrasting with the bright white of the wood that the *talan* was constructed of. This lead her to wonder if any of the elves (or anyone in Middle Earth for that matter) had ever encountered anyone with skin such as hers. She usually wouldn't wonder about such a thing but it did seem logical that this was a reason for the reaction gotten out of some of the elves since her stay.   
  
As she thought this she looked up again at the elf only to find him quickly turning his head back, blue eyes staring forward. She sighed. All of a sudden she felt more an outcast than ever. She got up, bones popping slightly at sitting for such a long amount of time, and decided to find Emmanuel.   
  
***  
  
Emmanuel was notorious for finding small niches to which he could hide into. Now he was sitting against two joined walls in the Lord and Lady's abode. There always seemed to be an elf watching him. Perhaps it was a guard, though he didn't look like one.   
  
He had somehow gotten it across to Tarenuil his request. He sincerely doubted the elf would be able to accomplish it since the former scientist seriously doubted that paper would be in great abundance here. But, as instructed, Tarenuil came back with two thick sheets of paper which he laid in Emmanuel's lap curiously.  
  
He did not leave as Emmanuel started to make various sized squares out of the paper. And as the redhead looked up to the elf the woodland being actually did so much as to sit down. The human smiled and continued to square the pieces. When he was finished he started folding, inner dialog made its way out.  
  
"My mum taught me this," he said, his long fingers swiftly molding the paper, "before she passed on. It's really all a matter of geometry," he continued, "finding out where to fold along the x and y axises."  
  
He had half completed the figure when he said, "This was the very first thing my mother taught me." he finished quickly and sat the small paper structure in front of the elf. "It's a frog," he explained, seeing the elf's confusion.   
  
"Frog?" asked the elf. Emmanuel nodded and then took the tip of his finger and pressed the back of the paper creature down. He allowed his fingernail to slip off of the paper causing the frog to "jump" forward. Tarenuil's eyes widened a bit and then his face creased with a smile.   
  
"Here," said Emmanuel, handing the paper amphibian to him, "consider it payment."  
  
As if unsure of himself Tarenuil held the "jumping" frog in his hands. His long finger pressed down on the back and the frog lept out of his hand on to the floor. He picked it up and repeated the procession smiling each time. Finally he got up and left, giving Emmanuel a slight bow. Emmanuel returned the gesture and when back to folding the paper.   
  
***  
  
"Emmanuel!" Jane exclaimed, "There you..." her voice trailed off at the sight of several small paper figures. A swan, a shell, an intricate rose, and some that she had never seen before. Her breath caught as she saw Emmanuel feverishly working over these creations by a small window. The window was placed in a good niche, a solitude created by shadow. No wonder it had taken so long to find the young man.   
  
"Is that," she asked uncertainly, "origami?"  
  
The tuft of red hair moved up in down in affirmation. His fingers moved expertly among the folds and refolds and unfolds of the paper. "Triceratops," he said when he was finished, straigtening out a horn.   
  
"Oh, right, I can see that," she moved awkwardly around her friend, "The Lord and Lady have invited us to a dinner. Tarenuil, he told me...kinda."  
  
The man looked up, eyebrows wrinkled.   
  
"What he actually said was, 'Food...evening...Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn.' I'm not an expert on language, but I'm sure I got the jist of it." Emmanuel nodded at Jane and looked back down to his paper. Jane sighed, "You're thinking about it aren't you?"  
  
"Thinking about what?" Emmanuel mummbled.   
  
"What Lord Galadriel said about us not belonging...and this not being what you're looking for."  
  
Emmanuel sighed this time, "The more time I spend here...the less I feel connected. It's like...this is home-but not the home that I...I don't know...need? want?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"That's it?" Green eyes met brown ones.  
  
"What did you expect?"  
  
"No witty reply? No, 'Maybe you shouldn't have even come,' or 'You could always try to click your heels three times and say; there's no place like home?'"  
  
"Nope," Jane said, a bit fidgity. And for a moment, for just a section of a second her eyes faultered. And in that split second of faultering Emmanuel saw something that he was not used to seeing from Jane, insecurity. He saw someone vulnerable and even a little hurt. He saw someone out of their element and desiring, themselves, to be home.   
  
Emmanuel felt a pang of guilt for ever bringing his friend along. He sighed and put the flower he was working on down. He lined all of his creations up and stood. He straightened his coat and offered an elbow to Jane. She smiled and took the elbow daintily.   
  
"Lead the way, Lady Jane," Emmanuel said, putting on his most proper accent.   
  
"Of course, my Lord," she said, in just as a humorous manner, "You're just going to leave them there?" she asked of the line of origami creations.  
  
"It's just paper...who knows, maybe someone will find them nice and take them home with them."  
  
"We can only hope!" Jane smiled as Emmanuel poked her arm jokingly.   
  
***  
  
To describe the elven dinner in simple words would be a great injustice. To say it was simply bright lights and magnificent food and beautiful music would lessen the festivities down to the bare bones. For it wasn't just the activities or the beauty but the entire mood of the room. It was an intoxicating delve into happiness. It was a time to tell stories of the past, sing songs in the company of instruments strange to human ears. There was archery in the starlight and the fountain out in front of the large white tree seemed to glow not only of the lamps around its silvery cascade of silken water but of a power of its own.   
  
It was as if some drug was taken but there were no side effects; no headache or hangover. But, at the same time, it was as if they were celebrating a quiet before the storm. While happiness hung in the air there was also a feeling of impending shadow. The songs sang and stories told had a similar theme, a theme of death. It was a last hurrah before everything changed. There was an aprehension woven into the celebration. It was a bit disconcerting, but, for the humans at least, the party was a magnificent one. Before they knew it both Emmanuel and Jane were asleep. Dreams to match the dinner.   
  
***  
  
It was almost noon when Emmanuel finally awoke, drowzy from the night before. He thought, for a moment, that Middle Earth had just been a dream and he was back in his house. But, as he looked around at the sun outside of the window of the room that he stayed in and saw the golden leaves and smelt the flowers and herbs he knew that it had not been a dream.   
  
He stretched and made his way outside of his room. He scratched the back of his head and wondered if there was such thing as a breakfast here with the elves. He also wondered if there was a shower.   
  
There was a faint sound of murmurs from another room and so he decided to follow them. When he entered Lady Galadriel was seated with Lord Geleborn speaking quickly in the elvish language that, no matter how hard he tried, he could not understand.   
  
The fair elf maiden's eyes found Emmanuel's and she held up a hand at the group of elves. Lord Celeborn looked suspiciously at the redhead and with a nod the quick conversation started again.   
  
Emmanuel felt his neck getting hot in embarassment and felt, for a moment, like fleeing. But his feet refused to move as he stared into the deep eyes of the elf coming towards him.   
  
"I...I'm sorry to have bothered you, your highness, Galadriel, LADY Galadriel, ma'am," he stuttered through his words as she came towards him.  
  
"I have been wanting to talk to you anyways. Come with me and we shall converse where beauracracy isn't so thick."  
  
Emmanuel nodded his head at her deep commanding voice.  
  
"What beauracracy is being discussed?" Emmanuel asked in curiousity as they both made their through the house.  
  
"A great darkness is settling upon our world. There is talk of elves leaving...to the sea. But if we do as such," she sighed, as if there was a great burden sitting precariously on her shoulders, "the other creatures of this world will have no hope of surviving the evils that are sure to be here."   
  
"Oh," Emmanuel said knowingly.  
  
"You say that with great understanding..."  
  
"Only because," Emmanuel started and stopped before continuing uncertainly, "I hear things."  
  
Lady Galadriel smiled, "Then your ears must be as good as elves, or better, for you to hear such things and have such a knowing for them before they even pass."  
  
"Gossip mostly," he ammended, looking down at the ground.   
  
"Mmmhmm..."  
  
"Nothing big," he went on, not having Jane to quiet him, "Just darkness, shadow, negative things...blah blah...yada yada...same old same old, right?" He looked up at the elf nervously.   
  
She smiled again, "Of course." The human breathed.  
  
They came to the ladder heading down the tree. After a tremendous amount of time (mostly because of Emmanuel's clumsiness). Lady Galadriel led the way.  
  
"Where are we going?" Emmanuel finally asked of the journey through the forest. Suddenly a long flight of stairs appeared. The lady elf said nothing, her dress flowed behind her and captured the noon sun. It shimmered for a while until shadow covered it. At the end of the stairs (Emmanuel was thankful that it wasn't a ladder) there looked to be somewhat of a bird bath fashioned out of silver.   
  
Beside this eloquent bowl was a stream and greenery to contrast with the light blue of the cool water. There was an odd chill in the air and Emmanuel shivered somewhat. His mind, slow with the rise from sleep, wondered why he felt deja vu.   
  
"I sense, in your mind, that you know where it is we stand and what must happen next," she said, filling the shining basin with water.   
  
Emmanuel paused to really look at his surroundings. A small gasp ensued and he put a hand through his hair, looking brown in the shadow. His eyes found the bird bath and his mind found chapter seven of "The Fellowship of the Rings."  
  
"Th..the Mirror of Galadriel?" he stuttered out.  
  
The water filled the basin and Galadriel looked up into the humans eyes smiling solemnly.   
  
"Do you wish to look upon this water?" she asked. Emmanuel wondered for a moment why she had brought him down here if that wasn't the assumed action. Did Galadriel know if he would or wouldn't and if he wouldn't then why would she have lead him to the mirror? But perhaps she knew that he wouldn't look into the mirror and led him here anyways because that was what was to happen. Did he really want to know the future of his time in this world anyways?  
  
He sighed, the thoughts in his mind entrapping him for a moment. After many a discussion with himself he decided on the answer, "Only if you assure me that any futures I see are not set in stone. I do not believe in fate. I don't wish to start now." He crossed his arms and looked upon the elf with eyes filled with fear, uncertainty, hope and determination.   
  
The Elf-lady tilted her chin up and smiled. She sighed and put a long finger to the basin and traced it shape, considering the comments.   
  
"The mirror shows things that may yet be. It does not show things definantely. On the subject of fate, you may be surprised to know that I have trouble fully believing that idea myself. But in my lifetime I have seen things that both defy fate and define it. It is an unusual idea, but this is an entirely different conversation. Will you look into the mirror now?"  
  
He was a bit surprise to learn the ideas that Galadriel told him on the subject of fate. He was sure that she would see fate as definate, especially with her abilities to see partial futures. Perhaps fate was responsible, or Emmanuels own decision but he conceded, finally, to look upon the water. With Galadriel's last warning of physical contact with the being prohibited he gazed into the bowl.  
  
He breathed when he saw nothing. His breath created ripples upon the water's skin and within the ripples an image became. It was an image of the lab. He saw his boss, his red face and all, shouting angrily. He could not make out what he was shouting about until he saw a small boy working fervishly over tubes and such. He did not recognize the boy but could only assume that it was Emmanuel's replacement because he remembered a good deal of shouting when he had joined the laboratory.   
  
He laughed a bit, and with the laugh the water started to change again, it showed green hills and clear skies. It was like a camera as it panned to a forest where darkness ensued and a pale light shown. Confused, Emmanuel squinted at the light and found it in the form of a human-like being. Squinting more, until his eyes were almost fully closed with effort (he regretting leaving microscopes at the lab) he saw that the human was a man and as quickly as he discerned this the water changed again.   
  
The next image was frightening, for it showed himself, dead. It ran chills up his back and made him sick. Many arrows stood erect in his own body and he could almost feel the pain that they would cause. Blood ran from the arrows and puddled upon dark grass and in the distance Jane stood crying over his body. The vision was too much for the young man to handle and he stood up and quickly turned away, catching his breath.   
  
In the distance, it seemed, he heard water being rushed out of the basin and back into the stream. He closed his eyes trying to will the vision from his head. He felt a great sadness and uncertainty. But in the darkness of his eyelids he could see it again, a dead, cold, pale figure lying on the ground, like a pin-cushion, full of arrows. In his eyelids the man, himself, awoke, the green eyes opening suddenly, inside his own eyes he saw a red eye that brought up within him such fear that he had never felt. It was a red hotness that traveled up and down his body and in and out his being.   
  
He opened his eyes suddenly with a slight pressure on his shoulder. He gasped and turned to Lady Galadriel looking at him, not in concern, but in knowing. He shuddered away from the look, arms growing tighter around his own chest, crossed over in protection.   
  
"It is not definate," the elven queen said, hand still on his shoulder.  
  
"I know," he said softly, but with an undertone of doubt.   
  
***  
  
The day had grown long and dull as Emmanuel sat next to the fountain. He sat thinking. He did not wish to travel up the silver tree again and tell Jane what had happened. He only wanted to sit and look into the waters and, perhaps, get a comfort from that.   
  
The night grew around him but Emmanuel still sat, staring at the waters, legs "indian syle" sitting on the grass. Lamps hung around him and a sound came up from behind. It was Jane and she stubbornly sat next to her friend, fire in her eyes.  
  
"What are you doing?" she demanded, a bit upset.   
  
"I'm studying the particles in H2O," he said stubbornly.   
  
"Have you been here all day?" she said, bringing out a bit of food. Emmanuel had fully forgotten hunger, but now it boiled inside him like a cauldron of witch's brew.  
  
"Yes," he said softly.  
  
"And what have you found out about H2O?" she said, playing along with the sarcasm. She gave Emmanuel the elven food and he took it like a wolf from her hand. He ate the meal quickly and felt a pleasant feeling in his stomach afterwards. He sighed.   
  
"That it is fate for them to be together," he finally said.   
  
"Fate?" Jane asked, "Could it not be chance?"  
  
"No, if it were chance then it would not have created just as I needed it. It would not have 'accidently' appeared to clean us. Water is fate, and there is no escaping one's own fate. Hydrogen and oxygen can never exist alone because it is fate that brings them together."  
  
"Is it?" the young woman asked.  
  
"How could it not be?" Emmanuel said walking stiffly with slight pain in his muscles.   
  
"Could it not just be a bond?"  
  
"It is a bond...it is fate which brings them together," Emmanuel sighed, but suddenly his mind calmed and he thought of something.   
  
"Then perhaps fate isn't so bad," came a low whisper from Jane. But the red-head didn't hear the comment because his mind was once again racing forward.   
  
"What is tonight?"  
  
"Uh, just a minute, let me get out my Middle Earth Everything Kit and bring out the nifty thrifty calender. I don't know!" she said in annoyance at the sudden change of subject.   
  
"The night before last Haldir said that there was a group of people, one elf. That morning you said that it could have been..."  
  
"The Fellowship!" Jane completed with excitment.  
  
"If my calculations are correct," Emmanuel said smiling at his own form of speech, always a scientist, "they will arrive here tonight."   
  
"Are you sure?" Jane asked getting up. As if in answer they heard a familiar voice from behind. Both of them quickly scurried around behind a tree.  
  
"Here dwell Celeborn and Galadriel," said the elf that both Jane and Emmanuel recognized as Haldir. "It is their wish that you should ascend and speak with them."  
  
"Can you see them?" Jane whispered, squinting into the darkness at several shadowed figures.  
  
"Shhh," Emmanuel hissed, "They'll hear you." Emmanuel spied two pairs of eyes from the group looking in their direction. They were like cat eyes in that they reflected the lights of the lamps above the fountain. One pair turned quickly away while the second lingered for a moment.   
  
There was a blow of a horn from below followed quickly by three more from above.   
  
"I will go first," Haldir said. "Let Frodo come next and with him Legolas. the others may follow as they wish. It is a long climb for those that are not accustomed to such stairs, but you may rest upon the way."  
  
"Frodo!" Jane whispered excitedly.  
  
***  
  
After a time there came a figure back down the ladder. Jane and Emmanuel had been whispering madly about the Fellowship. They did not hear the figure come to their tree.   
  
The figure cleared his throat and both Jane and Emmanuel turned around sharply.  
  
"Haldir!" Jane exclaimed, "Long time, no see!"   
  
"Indeed," Haldir said with a bit of a smile, "I heard of your troubles getting up to see the Lord and Lady. I must apologize for that."  
  
"It's okay, Haldir...erm," Jane paused and looked at Emmanuel who said nothing but looked at Haldir, "Where have you been?"  
  
Haldir answered as if he had practiced, "There are visiters to see Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. They are friends."   
  
Emmanuel nodded slowly, "I didn't think that elves were especially...friendly...with dwarves." The two humans looked back and forth again to each other and back to Haldir.   
  
"The dwarf...was unexpected." Haldir started to turn away quickly.  
  
"And hobbits too?" Jane said.   
  
Haldir stopped. He looked up as if he would give anything to just fly up the tree and be done with the converstation. The elf turned back around to Jane and Emmanuel.   
  
"Perhaps we should discuss this...elsewhere."   
  
***  
  
The climb was not as long as to the main flet. They stopped on the third level and Haldir led both humans into a corner of an unoccupied *talan*.   
  
"This group of people..." he began, "they are on a quest."  
  
"A fellowship?" Emmanuel asked trying to hide excitement.  
  
"You could say that..." Haldir said uncertainly, "But that is all I can tell you."  
  
"We understand," Emmanuel said stopping Jane from insisting upon more.   
  
"I...uh...have something of yours, Emmanuel," Haldir said holding out a small paper figure. "I found it with many others and Tarenuil told me that you were responsible for them. It is an art I am not familiar with. Quite amazing."  
  
The figure that was held in the elf's thin hand was a wizard. It's top hat was a bit bent but, besides that, it was quite an exquisite piece. It even included it's own staff. 


End file.
